Prime Minister Pavel Filip today participated in the inauguration of a complex of education and sport services in the Varnita settlement, eastern Anenii Noi district. The PM congratulated the Varnita village residents and the local public administration on the completion of the project. He gave assurances that the cabinet would further be opened for all initiatives getting close the people from both banks of Dniester.

“This is an important event for Varnita and for its people, a perfect example meant to prove that the restoration and regaining of trust takes place by concrete measures, backed by our development partners. This is a project, from which not only the people of Varnita will benefit, but also the ones of the neighbour settlements, especially from the Tighina (Bender) city. This project, within which the multifunctional community centre, the sports field of the theoretical lyceum, pavilion of the kindergarten have been renovated, is meant, first of all, to offer comfort to the direct beneficiaries, children and their parents,” Pavel Filip said.         

At the same time, the prime minister referred to the role of these projects in the Transnistrian settlement process. “This project is a part of a wider approach, in re-establishing the confidence, and shows that the rapprochement is made through concrete measures. We have such an approach also when we speak about the 5+2 format of negotiations. Our most important instrument is dialogue,” the Prime Minister said.  

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Moldova, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative  Dafina Gercheva appreciated the common efforts of the Moldovan authorities and Moldova’s development partners in strengthening trust between the people of the two banks of Dniester. “Ensuring an efficient communication, based on the mutual positive practice, is one of the fundamental conditions for the successful promotion of confidence between the communities on the two banks. Varnita is a model in this respect,” Dafina Gercheva noted.   

For his part, Ambassador of the European Union to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said the inauguration of the sports field during the European Football Championship was symbolical and full of inspiration. ”Watching sports tournaments and practicing sport, we share values of friendship, mutual respect and understanding,” the head of the EU Delegation in Chisinau stressed.  

The project on renovation of the Varnita-based education and sports units was carried out with the support of the European Union, within the programme on building confidence between residents of both banks of Dniester. It was implemented by UNDP its budget amounts to over 150,000 euros. Local communities contributed to the project’s financing as well.